The Book Thief Chapter 53 Summary

Champagne and Accordions

It's still the summer of 1942. Molching is preparing for the possibility of a bomb attack.

Hans gets a little work painting people's window blinds black.

Liesel goes with him on the jobs.

He's usually paid with a snack, a hot drink, or a smoke.

Later Death will read about Liesel's memories of the summer in the book she will write.

As he works, he tells her stories, taking time-out to play the accordion.

Liesel is really interested in how her Papa mixes paint. The paint comes in a block and is rolled out with a thick bottle – a champagne bottle is best – and then turned into the liquid paint we are used to seeing.

One day, when they are painting at a wealthy home, Hans and Liesel are invited to the kitchen, and Liesel has her first taste of champagne.

Later, he asks Liesel not to tell Rosa.

She ask if it's OK to tell Max. Hans says that it is.

Later, when Liesel writes the book of her life, she'll "[vow] that she [will] never drink champagne again" (53.25). There's no way it can ever be as delicious as the first time.

She feels the same way about the accordion.

Sometimes, the sound of Hans playing makes her taste champagne.

She's really having a splendid time.

But, the bombs are being dropped like crazy
– suffering was on the way.

Now, we are given the first word from The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus, which this Part of The Book Thief is named after: "Zufriedenheit – Happiness" (53.38). (Read the book for the definition!)